Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: “Can you date me?”

“Then… then close your eyes.” Wei Yu lowered his head and turned slightly away, but he didn’t realize that his ears had turned a deep crimson, betraying him completely.

Qin Ji followed instructions obediently and closed his eyes, waiting for his reward to the rhythmic thumping of his own heartbeat.

Wei Yu bit his lip and waved a hand in front of Qin Ji’s face, likely trying to confirm that Qin Ji really had his eyes shut and wasn’t peeking.

It seemed he wasn’t peeking.

Wei Yu placed a hand over his heart, pressed down, closed his eyes, stood on his tiptoes, and pecked Qin Ji on the cheek.

It was as light as a dragonfly skimming the water, yet it sent ripples through his soul.

Qin Ji snapped his eyes open, his face filled with an irrepressible surprise and joy.

Wei Yu was shy and annoyed: “Didn’t I tell you to close your eyes?”

Qin Ji touched the small patch of skin where Wei Yu had kissed him with the back of his hand. “You really kissed me!”

Wei Yu turned his body away and ignored him, dying of embarrassment.

Like a big dog that had just been given a bone, Qin Ji scooped Wei Yu up and spun him around in circles.

“Qin Ji!” Wei Yu swatted at him. Why did this man always like to launch sudden “sneak attacks”?

Qin Ji finally set Wei Yu down steadily. He couldn’t squeeze out a full sentence; it seemed his language center was still offline.

“Wei Yu, you’re so good.” Qin Ji fluttered about in place for a long time before he could calm down even a little bit.

Just a little bit.

“No, I’m still too excited. I’m going to go run laps to calm down.” Saying so, Qin Ji actually ran out.

Wei Yu: “???”

Is he really that excited?

Wei Yu followed him out. Looking from outside the tent, he saw that Qin Ji really was running.

Gao De (the eunuch) had lost his “navigation” function; his eyes simply couldn’t keep up with Qin Ji’s sprinting speed.

“Prince, what’s wrong with His Majesty?” Gao De asked in confusion. “I have never seen His Majesty this energized.”

Wei Yu sighed softly. “Spring has arrived. Try to understand.”

…

Qin Ji ran circles for a long time. The Imperial Guards only managed to keep their eyes forward through sheer willpower… but it was very hard to ignore the Emperor running back and forth in their field of vision!

Fortunately, Qin Ji was eventually dragged back to the hunting stand by Xu Ziye and forced to sit down. Sitting there was boring since he couldn’t actually go into the forest to hunt, and being so agitated, he couldn’t sit still.

“If Your Majesty is bored, I can find some work for you to do,” Xu Ziye said with a smile.

Qin Ji sat perfectly still in a second. He was not about to do homework at a time like this.

Wei Yu had someone find a board and played Gomoku with Qin Ji. Between Wei Yu’s teaching and his deliberate handicapping, Qin Ji actually managed to win a few rounds.

“I won! I’ll go first this time.” Qin Ji placed a black stone at the center of the board.

Wei Yu placed a stone casually.

A moment later, Qin Ji lost again.

Xu Ziye: “…” What kind of student did I teach? Wei Yu went easy on him so much, and he still lost!

“The Heir of the Duke of State has caught one deer!”

The official recording the game announced the first person to return. Shortly after, a man in riding gear flipped off a tall horse and knelt on one knee. “Subject Zheng Shou has caught a deer to present to Your Majesty!”

The Qin Spring Rite was ceremonial; they didn’t actually kill the prey. They used arrows without sharp heads, and no dangerous beasts were released.

“Good!” Qin Ji admired Zheng Shou. Facts proved his eye for talent was good. “Someone, grant the Heir wine.”

A servant poured a large cup of wine and brought it to Zheng Shou.

“I thank Your Majesty for the reward!” Zheng Shou drained the cup in one go.

Qin Ji talked with Zheng Shou for quite a while, asking about his studies and family. The officials and nobles sitting on the sidelines were stunned. His Majesty seems to favor Zheng Shou quite a bit?

Even Wei Yu was surprised. “Your Majesty likes this Heir?”

Qin Ji leaned closer to Wei Yu and whispered, “This is the envoy I’ve chosen. He will accompany you back to the State of Wei.”

Wei Yu froze. “What?”

“I don’t feel safe letting you go back alone,” Qin Ji explained. “What if Wei Qiong tries to harm you? Even with Bailu there, some things aren’t convenient for her to do. An envoy representing the State of Qin is necessary.”

If Wei Qiong tried anything, Zheng Shou could threaten him directly. Plus, with Zheng Shou’s father, Duke Zheng Lu, stationed at the border, if anything happened to his son—just imagine how the Duke would react.

“Anywhere Wei Qiong is, is a den of tigers and wolves,” Qin Ji grumbled.

Wei Yu’s heart softened into a puddle again. “Thank you.” Thank you for protecting me like this.

Qin Ji smiled, his eyes curving.

…

Qin Ji dodged the other ministers to seek privacy, taking Wei Yu with him.

“Wei Yu, I’m taking you somewhere. Blindfold yourself first.” Qin Ji produced a piece of opaque cloth. Wei Yu trusted him completely and closed his eyes.

Qin Ji happily tied the cloth and led him out. “I’ll carry you so you don’t trip.” He picked Wei Yu up.

“Your Majesty, I’m heavy. You should put me down.”

“How is this weight heavy? I feel nothing but bones. I’ll have the kitchen make appetizers tonight; you need to eat more.”

Wei Yu went silent, fearing that if he argued, Qin Ji would chase him around to feed him five meals a day.

Qin Ji carried him steadily for a long time until the surroundings were quiet. He set Wei Yu down and removed the blindfold.

Gao De and Gao Huan were holding kite strings. Two kites were already high in the sky.

“The wind is good today, Prince,” Gao De ran over and handed a kite to Qin Ji. “Perfect for kite flying.”

Qin Ji placed the spool in Wei Yu’s hand, guiding his movements. “Be gentle, don’t pull on your wound.”

Wei Yu beamed, watching the kite dance in the wind. Qin Ji took the other kite, standing beside him, making the two kites fly close together. They were simple swallow kites.

“Qin Ji, I’m so happy.” Wei Yu suddenly turned. Before Qin Ji could react, Wei Yu stood on his tiptoes.

That warm sensation landed on Qin Ji’s face. His eyes went wide. He stood there, dazed, his mind filled only with the image of Wei Yu kissing him voluntarily.

Gao De covered his apprentice’s eyes. “Children shouldn’t watch this.” Gao Huan: “…Master, I’m nineteen.” Gao De: “Don’t talk back to your Master.”

“Wei Yu,” Qin Ji asked, “when you come back from Wei… can you date me?”

“What is… ‘dating’?” Wei Yu asked, confused.

Qin Ji explained seriously: “Dating means I like you and want to be with you for a lifetime. You give me a ‘trial period’.”

Wei Yu paused. Memories of his past life flashed by: being sent as a hostage alone, being mutilated by the Tyrant in the original timeline, dying young after returning to Wei… and then there was the Qin Ji before him.

The spring breeze was lovely, and the world was vast. The two swallow kites in the blue sky were bumping into each other, as if whispering.

In the breeze, he heard Wei Yu say:

“Alright.”

…

Later, back in his tent, Qin Ji was so happy he accidentally dripped ink onto his paper.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you should write later?” Gao De suggested, swapping the paper.

“No, no, I’ll write it now.”

He couldn’t help it. Who could blame him when Wei Yu had accepted his confession? He was already giving Gao De face by not going out to run laps again.

Qin Ji calmed himself and wrote to General Zheng Lu. That bastard Wei Qiong hadn’t replied yet—did he really not want his sister Wei Wuxia back? Qin Ji didn’t care; he just unilaterally decided that Wei Qiong had a bad attitude.

He told Zheng Lu to prepare to take over the three cities. He also instructed him to put on a show of force—make 100,000 men look like 200,000 to scare the daylights out of Wei Qiong. If Wei Yu didn’t eat or sleep well because of Wei Qiong, Qin Ji would find trouble for him.

He also praised Zheng Shou in the letter, indicating he was entrusting him with a great responsibility.

Qin Ji’s letter was plain and simple—he couldn’t be expected to use fancy allusions, but writing it himself was an achievement.

“Gao De, send this to the Duke via 800-li express.”

“Also, invite my Teacher and the Prime Minister. I have matters to discuss.”

Qin Ji had decided: he would escort Wei Yu to the border and wait there for him to return. While he was away, he needed Xu Ziye and Zhao Anhong to handle the government.

He had it all planned out. He would take Wei Yu by the water route, traveling and playing along the way. By the time he and Wei Yu arrived, Zheng Lu would have the three cities under control.

The time spent on the road? In his mind, that was basically their honeymoon!

Honeymoon, hehehe.